Bag with integrally formed closure

ABSTRACT

A bag having an integrally formed closure, comprising a wall, an opening contiguous to the wall, two handles attached to the wall at the opening, and a closure integrally formed in the wall of the bag adjacent one of the handles. The closure is formed of planar, resiliently flexible plastic in a circular shape with a rim and with multiple symmetrical radial cuts extending from the center of the closure to the rim, thus forming prongs that resiliently flex up and down from the center of the closure. This flexing forms an opening through the closure as long as one or more of the prongs are flexed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of bag closures. More particularly, the present invention relates to a bag with an integrally formed closure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With bags made of plastic and other suitable materials, it is useful to provide some type of closure to keep the bag securely closed in order to prevent contents of the bag from spilling out while the bag is being transported. A number of types of bag closures exist.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,236,285 entitled “Bag fastener” which issued to Gallie on Aug. 7, 1917 discloses a bag having a single vertical slit through both sides of the bag near a corner of the bag (when the bag is flattened) adjacent the mouth of the bag. The slit provides a tying strip. The top of the bag can be folded together and drawn through the slit, such that the tying strip forms a loop around the folded portion. The loop can then be twisted back over the folded portion to hold the bag shut.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,242,139 entitled “Means for fastening sacks” which issued to Callahan on Oct. 9, 1917 discloses a closure with four (4) radial cuts which form four prongs. The closure is made of flexible metal such that the prongs flex and hold their flexed position.

United States Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0083560 entitled “Bagrabber a quick bag closure device and locking device” invented by Mennitto on Jul. 4, 2002 discloses a closure comprising a shallow cone with radial cuts to form tines or teeth that extend upwardly and inwardly, with rounded notches in the points of the tines or teeth. The closure is made of “plastic having both flexibility and memory” (paragraph [0018] of Mennitto).

U.S. Pat. No. 3,348,595 entitled “Bag closure structure” which issued to Stevens, Jr. on Oct. 24, 1967 discloses a shallow-cone-shaped closure with “fingers” that extend upwardly and inwardly, instead of tines or teeth, for closing mesh bags. The closure is made of material that is flexible so it can be “turned inside out” to remove it from a bag, but strong enough to hold its shape otherwise.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,357,070 entitled “Accessories for hairdos and articles of apparel” which issued to Sloan on Dec. 12, 1967 discloses a closure comprising a flexible plastic disc with a plurality of slits radial from the center of the disk, which slits form triangularly-shaped fingers. The patent also discloses that the corners and sides of a handkerchief can be gathered to form a “handbag”, and can then be pushed through the radial slits in the disc in order to hold the “handbag” closed.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,852 entitled “Bag closure device” which issued to Wood on Dec. 16, 1975 discloses a closure having many teeth in a tear-drop-shaped area in one side of the closure. The teeth and the tear-drop-shaped area flex to allow the neck of a bag to be inserted into the tear-drop-shaped area and between the teeth in the tear-drop-shaped area. The closure is made of flexible plastic. In this closure one cut goes clear through the edge of the closure to allow the bag neck to be pushed through that cut in the side of the closure.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,357,740 entitled “Bag closure device” which issued to Brown on Nov. 9, 1982 discloses a closure having resilient prongs in a symmetrically concave shell.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,312 entitled “Device for carrying and closing bags” which issued to Freyer on Oct. 6, 1987 discloses a closure comprising a ring having a plurality of fingers integrally formed with the ring and defining a conical member with a wide passage in the center for insertion of the mouth of a bag. The closure is made of relatively rigid plastic and is intended to be used to carry trash bags.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,789 entitled “Closure clip member for flexible bags and the like” which issued to Pedersen on Apr. 10, 1990 discloses a closure clip member for bags, in the shape of a disk with an enlarged edge rim and a thinner diaphragm divided by radial slots for form triangular leaves with apices at the center of the diaphragm and with a void area adjacent the rim so that each leaf is “L”-shaped. The member is made of flexible planar plastic so that it can be slipped on and off a bag.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,621 entitled “Closure for plastic bags” which issued to Heinke on Apr. 11, 1995 discloses a closure for closing plastic bags comprising a truncated, hollow cone having an opening extending therethrough for receiving the bunched neck of a plastic bag or the like. The cone is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart gripping fingers which engage the bunched neck of the plastic bag to prevent the cone from becoming detached from the bag. An optional weak section is provided in the closure to enable the closure to be selectively opened to remove the closure from the bag.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,189,808 entitled “Retainer and closure for a garbage can liner bag” which issued to Brown on Feb. 26, 1980 discloses a button-like body formed of a thin elastic material and provided with a plurality of slots which intersect with one another adjacent the center of the body to define a plurality of triangular resilient prongs having adjacently disposed pointed inner ends located in close proximity to one another.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,610 entitled “Disc shaped holder with an expandable center hole” which issued to Fish on Feb. 24, 1987 discloses a disc shaped holder device with an expandable center hole wherein the invention has a circular bead around its circumference and an internal centrally located access hole, and an internal membrane completely filling the area between the bead and the central access hole, and wherein the membrane is cut radially from the access hole to, but not through, the bead causing the membrane to be shaped into truncated pie shaped panels; wherein the invention is used for securing plastic bags in a reusable fashion. The closure is made of semi-rigid resilient plastic or paper.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,170,213 entitled “Clasping devices” which issued to Thomas, Jr. on Feb. 23, 1965 discloses a clasping device comprising a member with a central aperture and a plurality of lobes affixed to the member and extending into the aperture in a plane with the member. The device is made of moldable plastic or resins.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,161,263 entitled “Sock pair retention apparatus” which issued to Anderson on Dec. 19, 2000 discloses an apparatus comprising a thin round sheet of plastic or rubber with four radial cuts to form 4 flexible “flaps” that hold socks together when the tops of the socks are pushed through the flaps.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,995 entitled “Wire holder” which issued to McMillan on May 19, 1981 discloses a wire holder for holding a bundle of wires having a base, a rim integrally bound to the base, and a plurality of overlapping elastic members mounted in the rim for receiving and holding the bundle of wires. This device is made of elastic plastic.

The above-referenced patent documents disclose various types of closures for bags. At least one of these patent documents discloses a vertical slit through both sides of a bag for closing the bag. However, none of the patent documents discloses a bag having a closure integrally formed in the bag. An object of the present invention is to provide a bag with an integrally formed closure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The Bag with Integrally Formed Closure of the present invention comprises a bag having a wall, an opening, two handles attached to the wall at the opening, and a closure integrally formed in the wall of the bag adjacent one of the handles. The closure is formed of planar, resiliently flexible plastic having a substantially circular shape. The closure has a rim slightly thicker than the rest of the closure. The closure also has multiple symmetrical radial cuts extending from the center of the closure to the rim, thus forming prongs that resiliently flex up and down from the center of the closure. This flexing forms an opening through the closure as long as one or more of the prongs are flexed.

With the closure integrally formed in the wall of the bag adjacent one of the handles, the other handle can be pushed through from the inward side of the closure so that said other handle passes through the closure. The handle can then be further pulled through the closure from the outward side of the closure, until the handle has been drawn through the closure such that the bag is thereby closed for securing the contents in the bag for carrying. The resiliency of the prongs grasps and retains the handle in the closure. The closed bag can then be carried by either or both handles. The capturing of the handle by the closure prevents the contents of the bag from spilling out of the closed bag.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The novel features of this invention, as well as the invention itself, both as to its structure and its operation, will be best understood from the accompanying drawings, taken in conjunction with the accompanying description, in which reference characters refer to similar parts, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the Bag with Integrally Formed Closure of the present invention, showing one of the handles of the bag drawn through the closure in order to close the opening of the bag;

FIG. 2 is a detail view of the closure integrally formed in the side of the bag, showing the radial cuts in the planar plastic which form the resiliently flexible prongs of the closure;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken across line 3-3 of FIG. 2 of the detail of the closure integrally formed in the side of the bag, showing the rim of the closure and one of the cuts in the plastic; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken across line 5-5 of FIG. 1, showing the flexing of the prongs in response to the handle being pushed through the closure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring initially to FIG. 1, the Bag with Integrally Formed Closure of the present invention is generally designated 100. Bag 100 has a wall 102; an opening 104 contiguous to wall 102; a first handle 106 attached to wall 102 at opening 104; a second handle 108 attached to the portion of wall 102 adjacent the portion of opening 104 opposite the portion of opening 104 adjacent first handle 106; and a closure 110 integrally formed in wall 102 adjacent second handle 108. The closure is formed of planar, resiliently flexible plastic in a substantially circular shape. Closure 110 has a rim 111 slightly thicker than the rest of closure 110. Rim 111 strengthens both closure 110 and the portion of the bag 100 immediately surrounding closure 110. Closure 110 has multiple symmetrical radial cuts 112 extending from the center 114 of closure 110 to rim 111, thus forming prongs 120 that resiliently flex up and down from the center 114 of closure 110. This flexing forms an opening 124 through closure 110 as long as one or more prongs 120 are flexed.

Closure 110 can be integrally formed in bag 100 by having closure 110 molded with bag 100. Alternatively, closure 110 may be formed separately from bag 100, bag 100 may be formed with a circular hole a little smaller than closure 110, and rim 111 of closure 110 may be bound to the portion of the wall 102 surrounding the circular hole by means for fastening closure 110 to said portion of wall 102. The means for fastening can include heat sealing, adhesive, stitching, or any other means for fastening of suitable strength.

With closure 110 integrally formed in wall 102 adjacent second handle 108, first handle 106 can be pushed through from the inward side 130 of closure 110 so that first handle 106 passes through closure 110. First handle 106 can then be further pulled through closure 110 from the outward side 140 of closure 110, until first handle 106 has been drawn through closure 110 such that bag 100 is thereby closed for securing contents in the bag 100 for carrying. The resiliency of prongs 120 retains first handle 106 in closure 110, thus keeping bag 100 closed. The closed bag 100 can then be carried by either or both of handles 106 and 108.

Bag 100 may alternatively be formed with only first handle 106 and without second handle 108. In this alternative embodiment, closure 110 is in the portion of wall 102 adjacent a first portion of opening 104 that is opposite a second portion of opening 104 adjacent first handle 106. To use this embodiment, first handle 106 is pushed through closure 110 from the inward side 130 of closure 110 so that first handle 106 passes through closure 110. First handle 106 can then be further pulled through closure 110 from the outward side 140 of closure 110, until first handle 106 has been drawn through closure 110 such that bag 100 is thereby closed for securing contents in the bag 100 for carrying. The resiliency of the prongs 120 retains first handle 106 in the closure 110, thus keeping bag 100 closed. The closed bag 100 can then be carried by first handle 106.

FIG. 2 shows a detail view of closure 110 integrally formed in wall 102 of bag 100, showing radial cuts 112 in the planar plastic which form the resiliently flexible prongs 120 of closure 110.

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view taken across line 3-3 of FIG. 2 of the detail of the closure 110 integrally formed in wall 102 of bag 100, showing rim 111 of closure 110 and one of the cuts 112 in the plastic. FIG. 3 shows the portion of wall 102 around closure 110, integrally formed with rim 111 of closure 110. Alternatively, rim 111 can be fastened to either the inside or the outside of wall 102.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view taken across line 5-5 of FIG. 1, showing the flexing of prongs 120 in response to first handle 106 being pushed through closure 110. The resiliency of prongs 120 causes them to press against first handle 106, which retains first handle 106 in closure 110, thus keeping bag 100 closed.

While the Bag with Integrally Formed Closure of the present invention as herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of obtaining the objects and providing the advantages herein before stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as described in the appended claims. 

1. A bag with an integrally formed closure, comprising: a wall; an opening contiguous to said wall; a first handle attached to said wall at said opening; and a closure in said wall opposite said first handle.
 2. The bag of claim 1, wherein said closure is formed of planar, resiliently flexible plastic in a substantially circular shape
 3. The bag of claim 1, wherein said closure further comprises a rim having a thickness slightly greater than the than the rest of closure.
 4. The bag of claim 3, wherein said rim strengthens both said closure and the portion of the bag immediately surrounding said closure.
 5. The bag of claim 3, wherein said closure further comprises multiple radial cuts extending from the center of said closure to said rim to form a plurality of prongs.
 6. The bag of claim 5, wherein said prongs resiliently flex up and down from the center of said closure to form an opening through said closure.
 7. The bag of claim 1, wherein said closure is integrally formed in said bag.
 8. The bag of claim 1, wherein said bag is formed with a circular hole, and said closure is bound to a portion of said wall surrounding said circular hole.
 9. The bag of claim 8, wherein said bag further comprises adhesive attaching said closure said wall.
 10. The bag of claim 8, wherein said bag further comprises stitching attaching said closure to said wall.
 11. The bag of claim 1, furthering comprising a second handle.
 12. The bag of claim 11 wherein said second handle and said first handle are receivable through said closure to close said bag. 